Finance Analyst - Retail Business
North Manchester Area, UK
Full Time, Permanent
Salary - £40,000 - £45,000
Job Overview
Forge Talent are partnering with a fast growing retail business based in North Manchester to recruit an analytical and driven Finance Analyst to join an award winning finance team within a fast-paced, data-focused environment. This role plays a key part in supporting strategic and operational decisions by delivering financial insight and performance analysis across a key area of the business.
You’ll work closely with commercial teams to drive financial understanding and challenge assumptions, helping to ensure informed, value-led decision-making.
The Role
As a Finance Analyst, you will work alongside the finance team to provide accurate reporting, analysis, and forecasting to stakeholders. The role offers a great blend of analysis, business partnering, and financial planning responsibilities.
Key Responsibilities
* Deliver actionable insights and make recommendations to improve outcomes
* Contribute to forecasting cycles and support annual planning activities
* Analyse variances against forecast and budget, identifying key trends and drivers
* Prepare timely weekly and monthly financial updates with commentary and insights
* Build relationships with non-finance stakeholders to understand business performance
* Track and report on financial KPIs, ensuring clarity and accuracy for senior management
* Support improvements to financial processes, tools, and reporting automation
* Assist in scenario modelling and other ad hoc analysis as needed
Experience & Skills
Essential:
* Solid understanding of financial planning, analysis, and reporting
* Confident communicator, able to explain financial concepts clearly to non-finance stakeholders
* High proficiency in Excel, with strong data handling and analytical skills
* Self-starter with excellent attention to detail and ability to prioritise in a fast-moving environment
* Prior experience in commercial or corporate finance, preferably in a business partnering context
Desirable:
* Degree in a relevant subject (Finance, Economics, Business, etc.)
* Actively studying or part-qualified (ACCA/CIMA or equivalent)
* Experience in retail or FMCG sectors, particularly in multi-site or operational finance
* Familiarity with business intelligence tools (especially Power BI) and financial process automation